News International has denied claims made on the front page of The Guardian this morning that The Sun doorstepped the junior counsel to the Leveson Inquiry.
Leveson Inquiry lawyer Carine Patry Hoskins began trending on Twitter on Monday after being dubbed the ‘woman on the left”. She was visible on the video stream during Hugh Grant’s testimony to the inquiry and aroused the interest of Twitter users.
An article by The Guardian’s Marina Hyde today claimed: ‘If you want to know how deeply the self-reproach is running over at News International, do be advised that the Sun yesterday sent a reporter to doorstep the so-called ‘#womanontheleft”.
‘Carine Patry Hoskins is the junior counsel to the inquiry who trended worldwide on Twitter on Monday after being picked up by the TV cameras listening to Hugh Grant’s testimony (how dare counsel pay attention?).’
It went on: ‘To the paper, the doorstep is routine; others might deem it the equivalent of blowing a giant raspberry at Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry, or perhaps casually defecating on his lordship’s desk while doing a thumbs-up sign.’
Addressing Lord Justice Leveson, News International QC Rhodri Davies denied Hyde’s claims.
‘Ms Hoskins has not been doorstepped by The Sun and furthermore The Sun did not send anybody to doorstep her, so the article is inaccurate to that extent,’he said.
Davies said that of more concern was the ‘inference’that News International and The Sun was not taking the inquiry seriously. These were accusations he said the company was taking ‘extremely seriously”.
Leveson responded: ‘I would have thought there are enough issues in this inquiry without descending into the personnel who are trying their best and working extremely hard to ensure that everyone is treated fairly.”
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